The Sickly Beauty Gives Up Struggling [Rebirth] Chapter 170

Li Rong took a leisurely sip of his coffee, leaning casually against the wall as if sightseeing. His tone was light and curious as he asked, “It seems like President Zheng recognizes me. Does seeing me here surprise you?”

The resemblance—how could he have missed it back then?

Zheng Zhupan’s breathing became labored as he glared fiercely at Li Rong.

Seeing Li Rong and Zhai Ning standing together, even an imbecile could connect the dots.

Recalling the seemingly inconspicuous details of that dinner, a shiver ran down Zheng Zhupan’s spine.

Li Rong had always known that he was the instigator of the Luyinxu incident, yet he could calmly sit across the table, sharing a meal with those involved. He could laugh and chat as if nothing had happened, his demeanor warm and easygoing. When he looked at Zhai Ning, it was as though they were complete strangers. With remarkable ease, he had infiltrated Suhe Biotech’s private gatherings—and emerged unscathed.

Zheng Zhupan, a cunning man, had spent his long days bedridden in the hospital tirelessly replaying and analyzing events in his mind.

He couldn’t figure it out.

How had a minor entertainment scandal spiraled into such chaos? Why was public opinion slipping out of his control? Why did things keep heading toward disaster? And why did unexpected figures keep appearing, each one pushing Suhe Biotech further into the abyss?

The moment he saw Li Rong, everything clicked.

From the very beginning, it had been Li Rong’s trap.

Lin Zhen, who had initially targeted Wajing Entertainment and first mentioned Suhe Biotech, had almost been called to the company banquet to pour drinks—but Li Rong had gone in his place.

Jiang Zui, the unassuming figure who penned an emotional essay just as public opinion was about to shift, had also had direct contact with Li Rong. Though Zhai Ning had spilled a drink on him, his essay conspicuously omitted her name.

He Dayong, who tearfully accused Zheng Zhupan and confessed at the brink of supposed success, had also left him puzzled. Why had he turned himself in right when he could have retired quietly? Why did his confession conspicuously omit Zhai Ning’s involvement? And hadn’t Cen Xiao from District Nine visited Meijiang Pharmaceuticals with a particularly capable friend?

Zheng Zhupan had overlooked investigating this “friend,” dismissing it due to his indifference toward He Dayong.

He had also dismissed the disgusted expression Zhai Ning had shown when he first mentioned developing Luyinxu.

And now, here she was, standing beside Li Rong, looking at him with unveiled disdain and contempt.

She no longer bothered to hide it.

He didn’t even know when Zhai Ning had become Li Rong’s ally, a knife that now cut against him.

No wonder the opposition knew his every move. No wonder his plans for Luyinxu were completely transparent—they’d once been openly shared with Zhai Ning as part of his effort to win her over.

But Zhai Ning had betrayed him.

Zheng Zhupan felt a mix of fury and creeping dread.

Zhai Ning had been directly involved in the Luyinxu incident; that was precisely why he had trusted her completely. But how had Li Rong managed to turn her against him?

He had always known Li Qingli and Gu Nong had a son. It wasn’t that he didn’t understand the importance of cutting weeds at their roots. His experience told him that a high schooler, left shattered and ignorant after losing his family, would either crumble under the weight of tragedy or pose no threat at all.

It wasn’t compassion that had stopped him—it was disdain.

And yet, how had things come to this?

The boy standing before him still looked just like the young man in the photos—youthful, his skin flawless and smooth, unmarred by even a hint of wrinkles. His eyes carried a naive innocence, as if untouched by scheming or deceit.

Someone like him, with such deep scheming and patience, had meticulously orchestrated a series of plans to bring down Suhe Biotech. In less than two years, he turned the tides and rose from the ashes.

It was as if he never even allowed himself the time to collapse into despair. From the very moment disaster struck, it seemed he was already preparing for revenge.

It was terrifying, like being haunted by a vengeful ghost determined to claim his life.

“You… demon! You’re a demon! A madman! A despicable beast!” Zheng Zhupan spat through gritted teeth, his neck flushed crimson with rage.

He knew that, in his current state, he shouldn’t get angry, but he couldn’t control himself. He realized now that his grand vision for his career was in ruins, that he was about to lose everything—and it was all because of the person standing before him.

This person was nothing more than a young man, barely past adulthood.

Li Rong curled his lips into a slight smile, leaning back against the wall before taking a few slow, deliberate steps toward Zheng Zhupan’s bedside. He spoke in an unhurried tone: “So angry, are you? I suppose that’s fair. You should be angry. After all, everything you’ve stolen—your ill-gotten wealth and undeserved reputation—will soon be gone.”

“You didn’t have to lose so much. Even if Luyinxu had launched, you could have still done well with Suhe Biotech’s other developments. But now it’s different. You’ve not only destroyed Suhe Biotech, the company you built with your own hands, but you’ve also ruined the good name of Jiaketing and its years of self-serving philanthropy. And you, too, will face legal judgment and live with a lifetime of infamy.”

“Suhe Biotech was never solely your company, but no one will care about that. The public’s anger at being deceived will be directed entirely at Suhe Biotech. No hospital, doctor, or supply chain partner will want to associate with it anymore. They won’t risk inviting trouble or tarnishing their reputations. There’s no shortage of pharmaceutical companies in the market, so no one will miss Suhe Biotech. Without cash flow, bankruptcy is inevitable.”

“A thousand-mile dam collapses from an ant hole. It won’t be long before the world no longer knows Suhe Biotech as a company. And the subordinates and partners standing by your side now? They’ll come to hate, blame, and curse you for this. You’ll get to taste the bitterness of betrayal and the chill of human indifference.”

“What a beautiful world we live in. Until the final moment, no one knows who will win or lose. Yesterday, you stood on the pedestal, commanding the winds and rains. Today, your tea has grown cold, and you lie on this bed reeking of disinfectant, barely clinging to life, unable even to get a drink of water. You know that I’ve destroyed everything you built, yet all you can do is howl in helpless fury. Because you never understood me. You don’t even know where my weaknesses lie. Your arrogance and complacency made you careless. You could never beat me. Not only am I smarter than you, but I’m also more ruthless.”

“You must try to survive. The brutal reality you’re about to endure is only a faint shadow of what I’ve already lived through. Welcome to the real world, President Zheng.”

With every sentence Li Rong uttered, Zheng Zhupan let out a guttural, hysterical growl.

He struggled to get out of bed, but his frail, weakened body left him gasping for air. His heart ached faintly, strained by his fury. The moment his feet touched the ground, a wave of dizziness swept over him as his vision darkened from poor circulation.

His knees buckled, and he collapsed to the floor in a wretched heap. His massive frame hit the marble tiles with a dull thud, causing the floor to tremble slightly. At the same time, his bones made a sickening crack, echoing through the room.

Zheng Zhupan cried out in pain, blood seeping from the corners of his mouth. Yet, even through the agony, he continued to shout hoarsely, “Li Rong! Li Rong! Just you wait! Just you wait!”

Li Rong looked down at him, now a pitiful mess on the floor, his expression as cold as ice.

He had thought about killing Zheng Zhupan with his own hands, plunging a knife into his flesh, twisting it until the man begged for mercy before succumbing.

But that would only bring fleeting satisfaction. To truly quench his thirst for revenge, he needed Zheng Zhupan to suffer—constantly, relentlessly. He wanted to destroy everything the man cared about, to make even breathing a source of pain.

Li Rong crouched down, lowering himself to Zheng Zhupan’s level. A faint smile tugged at his lips as he said, “I’m not like you. I won’t give you any chance to make a comeback. Your competitors care deeply about you, you know. One of them even gave me evidence that your wife once hired a hitman. By now, I imagine her flight has landed. She’s here to see you at the hospital. How touching—you can finally have a family reunion. Your son is barely a year and a half old. Do you think he’ll even remember you in the future?”

“I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you!” Zheng Zhupan screamed, blood spilling from his mouth as his trembling hand latched onto Li Rong’s ankle, as if he could channel all his fury and hatred into that grip.

But he was too feeble. Li Rong didn’t even flinch.

Zhai Ning spoke softly, “Li Rong, I need to call for help. I’m still a doctor.”

Li Rong understood. He raised his foot and kicked Zheng Zhupan aside without hesitation, straightened his pant leg, and said in an indifferent tone, “Oh, by the way, the securities commission just rejected Suhe Biotech’s IPO application. I’m not sure if anyone’s shared that good news with you yet. I’m so glad I got to see you today, President Zheng. I hope you’re just as happy.”

He finished speaking, turned around, and walked out of the hospital room without looking back. The cup of espresso had already gone completely cold.

As Li Rong passed by a trash bin, he casually tossed the coffee into it.

Zhai Ning glanced at Zheng Zhupan and pressed the emergency call button. Before the doctors and nurses arrived, she spoke softly, “Soon, I’ll release a statement to clear the name of Luyinxu and expose your crimes to the public. After all, you and I were never on the same path. This day was bound to come.”

The doctors and nurses rushed in and lifted the half-fainting Zheng Zhupan back onto the bed to begin emergency treatment.

Zhai Ning silently stepped back, standing at the door of the hospital room with her hands in her pockets, quietly observing Zheng Zhupan’s miserable state.

In fact, there was something she didn’t say.

She wasn’t on the same path as Zheng Zhupan, but she wasn’t on the same path as Li Rong either.

Zhai Ning often felt uncomfortable with Li Rong’s methods and cunning nature. She wished this correction of injustices could have been carried out in an open, straightforward, and upright manner, rather than through behind-the-scenes manipulation and intricate schemes.

But she also understood that without Li Rong’s cunning and planning, her ideal version of justice might never have come.

She had no right to hold expectations or demands for the victim. Whatever he did was entirely justified.

Zhai Ning exited Zheng Zhupan’s hospital room. Outside, Zhou Hong looked as though he’d lost his father, crying as he rushed inside.

When Zhai Ning found Li Rong and Cen Xiao, Li Rong was leaning on the glass railing of a corridor, leisurely gazing down at the cars coming and going below.

Cen Xiao’s gaze toward him was filled with indulgence and affection. “Got it out of your system?”

Li Rong lifted his clear, bright eyes and pondered for a moment. “Not bad. Zhai Ning was worried I might enrage him to death.”

As the hospital director, Zhai Ning was still slightly annoyed at being just a pawn in Li Rong’s grand plan. 

She approached, cleared her throat, and said, “Li Rong just drank an entire cup of espresso. Caffeine irritates the stomach lining and can worsen one’s condition. Someone should notify his family.”

Having said that, she walked away with a stern expression and an air of seriousness.

Li Rong: “…”

Cen Xiao squinted at him, hissing lightly as he delivered a playful slap on Li Rong’s backside. “Getting out of control now, are we?”

Li Rong, startled, found this slap more painful than when Zheng Zhupan had grabbed his ankle earlier. He looked at Zhai Ning’s serious and upright retreating figure with a mix of amusement and disbelief. “I only took a sip! A hospital director, sabotaging an innocent student like me—unbelievable.”